Silicone pastry brush

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a silicone pastry brush of uniform composition and unitary construction. The pastry brush is a single, formed piece of silicone with a uniform composition throughout.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention deals with a pastry brush and more specifically, a pastry brush of uniform composition and unitary construction wherein the uniform composition includes silicone.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A pastry brush is a small brush used for applying liquid substances used in the cooking and preparing of food. Some liquid subs,.ances that may be use include glazes, egg wash, oils, melted butter and lard. These substances may be applied directly to food either before or after baking. When applied to food, baked goods are usually involved, such as breads, pastries, cookies, etc. The brush can also be used for greasing cookware surfaces. For example, to apply a thin, even layer of a lubricating agent to a cookie sheet, cake, pan, or muffin tin.

Normally, the best all-purpose size has a width of 1 to 1½ inches. Pastry brushes are usually made of nylon bristles, sterilized natural bristles or goose feathers. The harder nylon bristles will last longer but may melt if accidentally touched to a hot surface.

The bristles are usually clamped or glued onto a handle. With such a construction, the bristles detach easily and often end up on the food being prepared with the brush. As a result, an alternative pastry brush construction is desireable. Specifically, a unitary construction where the pastry brush is a single piece so that bristles will not become detached in use, would be best suited to fulfill this need.

In addition, ordinary bristle-tipped pastry brushes are difficult to clean. It is virtually impossible to clean each and every bristle, and therefore, impossible to remove all the build up and resin that accumulates in the brush from each use.

To date, no attempts have been made to provide a pastry brush of unitary construction and uniform composition. Further, no attempts have been made to provide a pastry brush that is easy to clean and resistant to the sticking and clinging nature of food and other substances.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A silicone pastry brush of unitary construction and uniform composition is provided. The pastry brush comprises a handle having a handle base and a back end, a brush head with a brush base and a bristle end, and a plurality of bristles. The handle base is connected to the brush base, and the plurality of bristles is disposed along the bristle end.

In accordance with further aspects of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pastry brush is made of silicone and further comprises a hanging hole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a silicone pastry brush in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the pastry brush of FIG. 1 from the side with the attendant forces that act upon the brush in use.

FIG. 3 shows the brush head of the pastry brush in FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Silicone is a term much like “plastic”—it covers a rather wide range of materials and properties. The chemistry of a particular polymer determines its characteristics, from hard and brittle varnishes, to soft and flexible rubbers.

Silicones are extremely versatile and have many uses. Technically speaking, silicones are any of a group of semi-inorganic polymers based on the structural unit R2SiO, where R is an organic group, characterized by wide-range thermal stability, high lubricity, extreme water repellence, and physiological inertness and used in adhesives, lubricants, protective coatings, paints, electrical insulation, synthetic rubber, and prosthetic replacements for body parts.

FIG. 1 shows a pastry brush in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, generally indicated by reference numeral 10, for applying various liquid substances such as egg wash, melted butter or glazes to the exterior of pastry products. The brush 10 may also be used to grease cookware such as cake pans, cookie sheets or muffin tins when dipped in oil or melted shortening and applied to the surface of the cookware that will contact cooking foods. The brush 10 is preferably of unitary (single piece) construction and uniform composition consisting of silicone. That is, the brush 10 is one silicone piece having a uniform composition and construction throughout.

A handle 12 has a base end 14 and a back end 16. In use, the handle 12 provides a gripping surface to hold the brush 10. A bore 18 in the back end 16 provides a means to hang the brush 10 on a hook mounted to a wall, the inside of a cabinet, pantry or closet door, or on any surface that can suitably withstand the mounting of a hook. The handle is defined along an axis 100.

At the base end 14 of the handle 12, a brush head 22 is provided. The head 22 has a base end 26 and a bristle end 25. The brush head base end 26 attaches to the handle base end 14. The bristle end 25 has a number of bristles 24 extending therefrom, along the width of the end 25 and outwardly, lengthwise from the brush 10. The bristles 24, brush head 22, and handle 12 are all of a uniform composition. The center line of the brush head 22 is aligned with the axis 100.

A reinforcing, or strengthening rib 20 runs along the length of the handle 12 and provides substantially rigid resistance in the handle to prevent bending of the brush during brushing operation as force is applied to the bristles 24 and brush head 22. The rib 20 preferably runs virtually the entire length of the handle 12 from the hanging hole, or bore 18, to the base end 14.

The brush 10 has an overall length L, approximately 9-13% of which includes the brush head 22, with the remainder being the handle. In preferred embodiments, the handle 12 and brush head 22 are both made of the same material.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the brush 10 and the forces applied to the brush 10 when used. In use, the brush 10 is held around the handle 12 and pulled horizontally in the direction indicated by arrow 200 along a surface to be greased, glazed, oiled, etc. of a pastry product or piece of cookware (not shown). At the same time, the brush 10 is pushed downwardly to ensure even and constant contact between the bristles 24 and the pastry product. This downward application of force pushes the bristles upwardly, in the direction of arrow 202.

As the brush is pulled along the horizontal plane in the direction of arrow 200, a bending force, also known as torque, is created around the position, and in the direction, of arrow 204. The contact point of the user's hand (not shown) creates a fulcrum point 210 for the application of force against the handle 12 that creates the torque. The rib 20 provides sufficient resistance to the torque to create a rigid structure in the brush 10.

In preferred embodiments, like the one shown in FIG. 2, the rib is thickest around the fulcrum point 210. The thickness of the rib 20, at its thickest point, is about twice the thickness of the handle side 12.1. The rib 20 should taper from its thickest point to the same thickness as the handle side 12.1 at the back end 16 and the base end 14 of the handle 12. Less rigidity is needed at the back 16 and base 14 ends compared with the middle of the handle 12 where the torque is greatest.

In use, the brush head 22 is dipped into a liquid substance to be applied to a specific surface. Exemplary liquid substances include egg wash, oil, melted butter or lard, or any other substance used in the preparation and cooking of baked goods and other foods. The brush head 22 is flexible and bends freely when pressure is applied to the head 22 via the handle 12 while simultaneously dragging the brush 10 in the direction of arrow 200 over a surface such as a pastry or cookware (not shown). In this way, the liquid substance being applied by the brush 10 is evenly spread upon the application surface via the bristles 24.

From the side view of FIG. 2, the entire length of the brush 10 is aligned with the axis 100 and symmetrical about its centerline, or axis 100. In other words, the centerline 100 of the brush is a straight line so that the handle 12 and brush head are in axial alignment with one another.

FIG. 3 shows an expanded, close-up view of the brush head 22 and its tapered, elongated bristles 24 providing a novel brushing tip. Each bristle is preferably tapered from a bristle base 24.3 to the bristle tip 24.1. The sidewalls 24.2 of each bristle 24 meet at each bristle base 24.3 at a predetermined angle in the range of 5-30°, preferably 5-20°, and most preferably 5-15°. IN accordance with further aspects of a preferred embodiment, the tip 24.1 is a straight edge to ensure even application of the liquid substance to be applied by the brush 10.

The brush head 22 has an overall width, W, which may be anywhere from 0.5 to 4 inches, preferably from 1 to 3 inches and most preferably from 1 to 2 inches. Each bristle 24 should be evenly spaced apart and of a uniform shape and width. In other words, each bristle 24 is identical in shape, size and construction, except for the end bristles 30, which have a straight side edge in line with the straight sides of the brush head 22.

The brush 10 may be manufactured in accordance with any known molding process normally used for silicone. Silicone molding processes include cast molding, compression molding, dip molding, injection molding, reaction injection molding, rotational molding and transfer molding. Cast molding requires pouring the molten silicon liquid material into an open mold, cooling the liquid to form the object, and then cutting away any excess pieces.

In compression molding, a slug of silicone is pressed between two heated mold halves so that the slug takes the form of the mold. After the heated mold halves are separated, any excess pieces are cut off and the to obtain the finished form of the object being produced.

Dip molding is a process similar to hot dip coating, in which the finished product is the fused plastisol stripped from the dipped mold. In injection molding, liquid silicone is forced into a cooled mold under tremendous pressure. In the Reaction Injection Molding (RIM), process two or more reactive chemicals are mixed at high speed as they are being injected into a mold. As the chemicals react, the material hardens to take the form of the mold.

In rotational molding, hollow molds filled with silicone material are secured to pipe-like spokes that extend from a central hub in a spoke and wheel-like configuration. The wheel is then rotated so that centrifugal force pushes the liquid material into the molds at the end of the spokes. In transfer molding, the two mold halves are clamped together and silicone is forced by pressure into the mold.

One of the greatest advantages of using silicone is its resilience to sticking. Food does not stick to silicone, making cleaning virtually effortless.

In the preceding specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative manner rather than a restrictive sense. 

1. A pastry brush of unitary construction and composition comprising: a handle having a handle base and a back end; a brush head with a brush base and a bristle end; a plurality of bristles; wherein the handle base is connected to the brush base, and the plurality of bristles are disposed along the bristle end.
 2. The pastry brush of claim 1 wherein the unitary composition further comprises silicone.
 3. The pastry brush of claim 1 wherein the back end further comprises a bore for hanging the brush.
 4. The pastry brush of claim 1 wherein the plurality of bristles are identical in size and shape.
 5. The pastry brush of claim 1 wherein the plurality of bristles are evenly spaced.
 6. The pastry brush of claim 1 wherein the handle further comprises a reinforcing rib along its length. 